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City · 5,225 residents · Polk County, Florida

Fort Meade , Florida

In Fort Meade, a typical home is worth $175,900 and typical rent is $922 a month. Compared with all of Polk County, typical household income is 44% lower and the typical home value is 34% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $175,900

    34% below the county

    51% below Florida

    • Fort Meade
    • Polk
    • Florida

  • Typical rent

    $922a month

    32% below the county

    45% below Florida

    • Fort Meade
    • Polk
    • Florida

  • Typical household income

    $36,657a year

    44% below the county

    51% below Florida

    • Fort Meade
    • Polk
    • Florida

  • Households that own their home

    70%

    About the same as the county

    2 points above Florida

    • Fort Meade
    • Polk
    • Florida

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$225,706
1.8% less than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Fort Meade is in Polk County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Polk County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Fort Meade apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Fort Meade has the 5th lowest typical household income of the 480 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people ($36,657).

  2. Fort Meade has the 10th lowest typical rent of the 471 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people ($922).

  3. Fort Meade has the 14th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 434 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people (79%).

  4. 26% of households in Fort Meade have no internet at home (6% in Polk County).

  5. The typical home in Fort Meade is worth $175,900, 34% less than in Polk County as a whole ($266,500).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Fort Meade

What homes there are in Fort Meade, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 67% of homes here, against 62% in Polk County.

In Fort Meade there are many mobile homes: 24% of homes; in Polk County, 20%.

Year built

The typical home in Fort Meade was built in 1978, 14 years before the typical one in Polk County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA limit for Polk County is high ($541,287): at least 95% of owner-occupied homes in Fort Meade are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,409 a month

Polk County: $1,716 a month

Without a mortgage

$480 a month

Polk County: $545 a month

Owners with a mortgage

40%

Polk County: 56%

Owning costs less in Fort Meade: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,409 a month; in Polk County, $1,716. Without one, $480.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Fort Meade rose 126%; in Polk County, it rose 77%.

The typical rent in Fort Meade rose 20% over the same time; in Polk County, it rose 39%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureFort MeadePolk CountyFloridaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate5.1%7.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.5%1.4%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.4%3.3%3.4%
People per household 2.382.682.512.53
Drive alone 78%75%70%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate9%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate0%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%2%3%
Work from home 10%12%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Fort Meade has 2.38 people, fewer than in Polk County (2.68).

To get to work, 78% of workers in Fort Meade drive alone; in Polk County, 75%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Fort Meade?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Fort Meade, worth $175,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 47% of the typical household income in Fort Meade, which is $36,657 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $61,017 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Polk County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Fort Meade. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,157 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,424

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$172,714
Total interest
$248,494
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,971 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $855 a month

  • Tight

    $855 to $1,100 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,100 a month

    Your payment · 47%

Compared with the typical household income in Fort Meade ($36,657 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,424
Principal & interest$1,170
Property tax$103
Home insurance$73
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$78

You need at least $6,157 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Fort Meade and Polk County

Fort Meade is in Polk County, Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Fort Meade's own numbers

Typical home value
$175,900
Typical monthly rent
$922
Typical yearly household income
$36,657
Households that own their home
70%
Effective property tax rate
0.7%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Polk County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,608
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+58%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.9%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Polk County.

Everything about Polk County

Buying

Buying a home in Fort Meade

A typical home in Fort Meade is worth $175,900: 34% below the county and 51% below Florida. With the typical household income in Fort Meade ($36,657 a year), a typical home costs 4.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Fort Meade 4.8 years
  • Polk 4.0 years
  • Florida 4.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Polk County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Polk County rose 141% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Polk County.

Period County Florida U.S.
Last year (2025) −1.2% −0.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +58% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +141% +127% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Fort Meade next to Polk County, Florida and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Fort Meade $175,900
  • Polk $266,500
  • Florida $359,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Fort Meade $922
  • Polk $1,363
  • Florida $1,669
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Fort Meade $36,657
  • Polk $65,978
  • Florida $74,568
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Fort Meade next to Polk County and Florida
Measure Fort Meade Polk County Florida U.S.
Typical home value $175,900 $266,500 $359,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $922 $1,363 $1,669 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $36,657 $65,978 $74,568 $80,734
Households that own their home 70% 70% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,233 $1,933 $2,730 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.7% 0.73% 0.76% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 79% 54% 60% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Polk County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Fort Meade

For a typical $175,900 home in Fort Meade, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Fort Meade's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,424a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,157
    Cash to close
    $11,434
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $78

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,391a month

    Down payment
    $8,795
    Cash to close
    $14,072
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $84

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,129a month

    Down payment
    $35,180
    Cash to close
    $40,457
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,292a month

    Down payment
    $26,385
    Cash to close
    $31,662
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Fort Meade and for Polk County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Fort Meade

0.7%of the home’s value each year

$1,233 a year for the typical owner in Fort Meade.

  • Fort Meade 0.7%
  • Polk 0.73%
  • Florida 0.76%

What Florida publishes Homestead exemption (Florida Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Florida

Flood risk in Polk County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Polk County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.9%
10,707
Of those, with NFIP insurance
37%
County Florida U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.9% 13% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 37% 67% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Fort Meade

Typical rent in Fort Meade is $922 a month: 32% below the county. In Fort Meade, 79% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Polk County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,608 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $30.92 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Polk County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,258 $24.19 $50,320
1 bedroom $1,338 $25.73 $53,520
2 bedrooms $1,608 $30.92 $64,320
3 bedrooms $2,212 $42.54 $88,480
4 bedrooms $2,688 $51.69 $107,520

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Fort Meade

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Fort Meade is in ZIP code 33841.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,350: $258 less than the fair market rent for Polk County ($1,608).

  • 33841 $1,350$1,830

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Fort Meade when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Fort Meade

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Polk County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A pregnant woman reads paperwork on the sofa while the grandmother plays with the girl on the floor.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Fort Meade

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Fort Meade or Polk County. The ones below are statewide in Florida: they work in Fort Meade the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Florida

Housing counselors near Fort Meade

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Fort Meade, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Housing and Neighborhood Development Services of Central Florida, Inc.

    825 E Main St, Lakeland · 21 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (863) 682-1025

  • Florida Non-Profit Housing Inc

    3909 Kenilworth Blvd, Sebring · 30 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 5 more
    (863) 385-2519

  • Florida Home Partnership Inc

    201 14th Ave SE, Ruskin · 39 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (813) 672-7860

Every agency in Polk County All counseling agencies in Florida

Help in Spanish near Fort Meade

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Fort Meade

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Polk County is named for Fort Meade or Polk County.

5 other authorities have an office in Polk County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Polk County

These cities are also in Polk County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Polk County Housing in Florida
See 11 more cities in Polk County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Fort Meade, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Polk County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Fort Meade.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about Fort Meade

Short answers with the numbers for Fort Meade and all of Polk County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Fort Meade?

The typical home value in Fort Meade is $175,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Polk County it is $266,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Fort Meade?

Typical rent in Fort Meade is $922 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Polk County is $1,608.

What is the FHA loan limit in Fort Meade?

Fort Meade uses the FHA limit for all of Polk County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Fort Meade?

The typical homeowner in Fort Meade pays $1,233 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.7% of the home’s value; in Polk County, the rate is 0.73%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Fort Meade?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Polk County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).